A large number of vehicle functions can be controlled or initiated remotely by means of today's modern electronic keys for vehicles, in particular in an embodiment as radio-controlled keys. In addition to the generally known safety functions for locking and unlocking one or more vehicle doors, in which the electronic key is used as the user part of an access system to the vehicle, in the meantime there is a large number of further functions which can be controlled remotely. For this reason, electronic keys for vehicles can by now also be referred to as remote control keys for vehicles.
In order firstly to identify the correct button on the key for initiating a desired vehicle function, it is possible to apply function symbols for a button function on the housing of the electronic key or directly on a button. Secondly, for example in the case of electronic keys which enable bidirectional communication with the vehicle, information relating to the vehicle (for example the current locking state of the vehicle doors) can also be displayed on the key. Correspondingly, depending on the information content to be represented, information symbols for a user can be displayed on the electronic key.
In particular such function symbols which are applied to the housing or the buttons are subject to environmental influences without any protection, with the result that abrasion and aging can cause the function symbols to wear and the functions of the electronic key can no longer be clearly assigned by the user.